Clothesline clamp



Feb. 26, 1924;

O. MEYER ET AL CLOTHESLINE CLAMP Original Filed Feb. 5, 1920 Patented Feb. 26, 1924.

t! N E T E stares OSCAR MEYER, or BROOKLYN, new roan, Ann PAUL s ArnLErEn'r, or NEW HAVEN,

CONNECTICUT; ALrcEn; MArLLnrnar nnnrrursranrnrx or SAID PAUL s. MAIL- LEFERT, DECEASED.

CLOTI-IESLINE CLAMP.

Application filed February 5, 1920, Serial No. 358,540. Renewed January 3,1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, OSGAR'IVIEYER and PAUL S. IVTAILLEFERT. citizens of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, and New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Clothesline Clamp, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in clamps for clothes-lines and primarily aims to provide a clamp including a cam which is adapted to cooperate with an adjacent 1 abutment for clamping the rope, said cam having its opposite side weighted whereby the clamping of the rope is automatically elfectuated when the tension is increased.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of a clamping device in which the clamping cam is equipped with a lever that receives the free end of the rope Whereby the cam may be automatically released.

A further object of the invention aims 2 to improve and simplify the structure and operation of the clamp, so as to produce an article which is reliable and eflective in use, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts through the same, I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a clothesline having our clamping device applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the clamp;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan-view;

Figure 4 is a detail view of the cam, and

Figure 5 is-a section through the cam showing the groove surface.

4 In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration .we have shown a preferred embodiment of our invention, the numeral 5 designates a longitudinally slotted frame having at one end a transverse aperture 6 b0 and at its opposite enda longitudinal aperture 7 which is slightly inclined and communicates with the slot of the frame. This clamp is adapted for use in connection with clothes-lines of the movable type which briefly consists of two pulleys 8 which are secured to spaced objects and have a rope 9 passing thereover. One end of the rope 9 is fixedly secured to the opening 6 of the frame, while thefiopposite end passes through the opening 7 at the opposite end. The free end of the rope after passing through the opening 7 passes around the pulley 10 which is pivoted, as at 10, within the slot of the frame 5 adjacent the opening 7. The rope 9 by passing through the opening 7 is retained upon the pulley l0 and will prevent displacement thereof,

A cam or eccentric 11 is pivoted, as at 12, within the slot of the frame 5 adjacent the opposite end. The peripheral edge of 1 the cam closest to the pulley 10 is provided with a groove 13 having a plurality of teeth or lugs 1 f for engaging and clamping the free end of the rope 9. In order that the clamping of the cam may be autov matically efl'ectuated the opposite side thereof is equipped with a weight 15 which will tighten the clamping member as the tension of the rope is increased. Extending from the lower edge of the cam and formed integral therewith is a lever 16, the free end of which is bifurcated as at 17, to receive the free end of the rope 9. The rope by passing through the end of the lever 16 will automatically disengage the cam when 35 moved in a forward direction permitting the tension of the rope to be increased or diminished as desired.

In use, one end of the clothes-line 9 is fixedly attached to the end of the frame 90 5 by tying the rope to the aperture 6. The rope is then extended around the pulleys 8 and is passed through the passage 7 over the pulley 10 and down between the groove I 13 of the cam 11. When the desired tension of the rope has been obtained the weight 15 on the opposite side of the cam 11 will automatically force the teeth 14 into engagement with the rope 9, thus efiectually clamping the same. The free end of the rope rests in the bifurcated end 17 of the lever 16 and when the rope is moved in a forward direction the cam will be oscillated so that the teeth 14 will be disengaged from the rope and the tension thereof increased or diminished. It is obvious from the foregoing that a simple and efi'ective clamping device has been produced which is reliable in its operation and may be manufactured at a minimum cost.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that certain changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to 'WltllOUt departing fronrthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim;

Having thus fully described our inventioinwhat We claimis: v

In a device of the class described, the combination With. a olothesline, of'a' frame having a longitudinal slot, apulley journaled in the slot, said: pulley receiving the clothes line end passing'throug-h an opening in the end of said frame, a substantially circular caineccentrically pivoted in the teeth to engage the clothes line, a Weight on the opposite side of the cam to normally hold the" teeth iii engagem nt With the clothes line, and a leper extendingfrom the cam to release the" pulley having a bifurcated end engaging the clothes line and holding it in close contact with said pulley: and facilitating: in releasing the cam from engagement With the clothes line.

In testimony whereoflrwe have aflixedour sigi'iatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

OSCAR or a 7 PAUL S. MAILLEFERTI Witnesses:

WALTER T. KENYON, ELMAE' KieNYoN. 

